MeanRex

Let me introduce myself, since I may be putting in my 2 cents here and there.

My name is Ben Martin. I own a 1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II.

I'm a hardcore rotorhead, and car guy in general. I love all cars, ferrari, lambo, porsche, nissan. Whatever manufacturer or engine. Anything respectable and effective.
I've always loved porsches since I was little and far before I knew crap about cars at all.

I've been a forum ***** for years, and I've just recently started re-reading this forum again. And have to say that I love the hardcore porsche racers, and the real knowledge on here.
You people have more money to get way deeper into serious racing.
Anyone who races RX-7s is either dead broke, and looking for tricks, or doesn't want to tell anyone a damn thing. So I look at all other cars as my inspiration.
I've already thought of a few things based on this forum already. If not for my "super stock" streetcar, but for my next project if I can manage a stripped down weekend racer.



Alright, now if you made it this far. Heres some more about my one true love. My passion, and sadly enough my girlfriend at most times.
My RX-7. This is my 3rd rx-7, its a 2nd gen. 1987 Turbo II.
Has a 1.3l turbo rotary. Makes 186hp stock, and about equal torque.
Weighs in at a HEFTY (for a rotary) 2850lbs.

As of 5 months ago, I blew it the hell up. With 131k original miles on the motor, and chassis and having owned and thoroughly beat on her for the past year and 10k miles. I was not mad at all when she gave up the ghost.
I had an awesome job oppurtunity, and out of recently being fired, being stuck in the boonies of chandler between a retirement community and indian reservation and 15 miles from my nearest friend. I was quick to move out w/ much help to california.
I soon after moved from phoenix, az (scottsdale for 3 years, and then chandler for 6mos) to the great bay area. I live in stinson beach, just north of SF and this is BY FAR the best place in the US for a car fanatic.
I live between the ocean and a mountain, you have to drives 15 miles of super windy roads no matter how you go to get to real civilization and suburbia.
25-45 minutes and about 5 different routes to choose.
BMWNA films their commercials on the ride of the mtn if that says anything.
I am 100ft from Highway 1, its the main drag of town.


On my 1.3l 13BT RX-7, I don't have the leisure of pinging. One detonation can kill my semi-fragile rotarymotor. Air temperature, fuel temperature, flame front, spark power, spark heatrange and spark timing are all critical aspects of not detonating. Not to mention on a turbo rotary you have to keep the tempatures of the oil and water at their certain levels and the motor runs like a dream.
Don't overheat it, don't knock it, and take care of the oil and a rotary will treat you like a god.

I've been a hardcore rotary nut for the past 6 years. Owned them for 4, and driven near stock rx-7s daily for the past almost 3 years. I had one before I had my drivers license, and have gone through many phases, and my "wishlist dreamcar" has changed so many times. All this time I've been a internet junky and forum *****. I've seen what works, what blows up, and so forth. I've made some awesome connections and many great friends from RX-7 forums.
Almost all of my friends are rotorheads as we never want to shut up about rotaries or just cars. lol

I stumbled on my t2 last december on ebay. It was perfect, white s4 w/ black rubstrips. Looked nice, very clean for the age and it ran w/ only a couple minor problems. I pulled my sources and struggled to really get this car off of ebay.
I had about $2800 at my reaches and she sold to me for $2700. After saving up more yet for $600 to ship from washington state to scottsdale, az.

Totally blown turbo gasket, lotsa air in brakes, and repairing/upgrading whatever cracked/broke when I was replacing these parts was done.
Everything is upgraded within reason, and I'm keeping it a very clean, near stock seeming car.

It will have between 280-350bhp w/ my compresor wheel only upgraded stock turbo and 350-400rwhp if I upgrade the turbo once more
Those numbers also depend a lot on psi, air temp and whatever. Motor is still halfbuilt and very untested with lots of new to me technologies.

My car is said to be 2850lbs. I have never weighed it. I think 2700lbs is very doable as much of the stock equipment is heavy like the exhaust and other parts.
ABS didnt work, it got cut out for less engine heatsoak and more room. A/C doesnt work and more room in engine bay, not to meniton I live in norcal now. It's outta here!
Still debating dual exhaust for looks and sound or single for weight and a more aggressive tone.
A little sound deading will be removed, but not the floor tar. Full interior will be kept.
I'm looking at some non-reclinable yet not a full race bucket momos that weigh in at 16.2lbs and are very easy on the wallet.
Wheels will be 17x8.5 all around w/ 235s. Wheels are Enkei RPF1 and weigh in at 15.5lbs each.

Brakes are porterfied R4-S pads only for now, and will be totally redone later.

I would like to dream that I can pull off 2700lbs in full street trim with stereo, power steering, full interior, but no a/c.

Car will get a spraypainted flat black plywoof lip. Durable, cheap and expendable. Not to meniton since my year second gen is the older of the two, it gets WAY less parts. I'm not happy with whats available for my car through the aftermarket so I make my own.


I'm halfway through my motor building.
Having a friend who just happens to be a professional rotary race motor builder do all my engine labor for free is a saving grace. I saved that $2k and spent it elsewhere.
From what I know, this will be one of the finest near stock t2 rx-7s in existence. I'm moving this car into the 20th century.
My inspiration is porsche, ferrari, aston martin, lotus and all of the greats.
Motor will be built to a race background motor that is still close enough to stock to make a fine street motor. Mostly proper clearances, bearings, and oil flow not to mention race proven knowledge of how to port. Kinda like the secrets of making an awesome cam and head flow together but all in one.

Intake and exhaust porting will be done accordingly w/ one rule of no increased overlap as to make it an emissions friendly motor.

I increased the compression from a very turbo safe 8.5:1 (17psi on 91 octane with good tuning, 19-20psi with good tuning on 93 oct) to 9.4:1 rotors from a naturally aspirated motor of the same year. I should be able to pull off about 12-14psi reliably with mildly upgraded intercooling.
I will have way better off boost power and response. Not to mention around 20hp more at the same given motor/psi/turbo with just the change in compression at just about any given RPM. Although 20hp is more of a peak number, it will be increased all around.
Should be near zero turbo lag on my stock turbo with a hybrid compressor upgrade.
It had maybe 200bhp at MOST when it blew up. It should have 300bhp at 10psi, if not a fair bit more with a proper tune.
I should be able to manage 340rwhp at about 11-12psi with a full t04 60-1 if I ever decide to up the ante.

Motor is being built to sit safely at 9 grand all day long if you ask it to. Maybe upto about 9300 :-D.
OE parts/motor is good for 8500 anyways. Mine just has a wee bit more leeway. Powerband will be the true limiting factor of the redline.



Rotor combustion faces, Turbo manfiold, outside of turbo compressor housing, outside of turbine hosuing, turbine wheel, wg runner, downpipe, upper/lower intake manifolds and throttlebody will all be ceramic coated.
Later all intake pipes and intercooler pipes will be ceramic coated on the exterior

There is an oil retention (to hold it better) and an oil rejection (to sheen it away) coating, and those will be used on the oil pump, oil pan, and other spots accordingly.

Inside of turbo compressor housing, turbo compressor wheel, lower and upper intake manifold will be coated w/ teflon based coating.
Later all insides of intake/intercooler pipes except intercooler and throttlebody will recieve this coating if I am a happy customer.

Supposed to increase cfm by a few %. My friend who has used this coating and is preparing my parts for coating is told seen as high as 8-12%. I dunno about that. But I feel any increase at all will be worth it, as I see little downside as long as it is a very solid bond to the intake manifold.
My friend has flowbenched this coating before/after on a supra intake manifold. Went from 390 to 410cfm, or something like that. Works out to around 5%. That however is straight from my friends mouth who flowbenched it himself. If I can achieve that, I would be impressed honestly.

Here are pictures of his awesome turbo manifolds and coated rotary motors. I'm going w/ the same gold color and running a gold theme on my car. Solid gold baby!!!
http://nothingained.com/turblown/Ser...atingtitle.jpg
his website is turblown.net
I don't want to act like im plugging him, but look at his manifolds, they're art.
When I switch from a hybrid compressor version of my stock turbo to a full t04 frame, I will use his turbo manifolds. These are spendy for 80s rx-7s at $800, but theyre worth the money. Look at any of the turbo manifolds for any car. Theyre all top notch, he works out of his uncles exotic speed shop. Mostly of the bull variety. This is where this technology comes from and most is proven. I've seen his/uncles shop and its no joke honest to goodness millions of dollars of cars w/ awesome fab work on everything. Very cool to know I have this on my cheapo japanese 80s car!
Him and his uncle have tested these coatings too, on 200mph+ cars with owners that really "excersize" them. Still never tried any of these coatings myself and am slightly wary of my fragile rotary.

I have a upgraded stock mount intercooler, koyo aluminum radiator (way better), upgraded clutch and lightened steel flywheel along with a few other mods to support not to meniton fuel and tunability.

I will also be doing 50/50 alky/water injection into my intake manifold as a precaution. It will not be tuned for. Just a bandaid incase of any accidents that feel like stealing my motor again!


For all that made it to the end, I applaude you. And thank you for reading my rant.
-Ben Martin